The invention relates to an electronic wrist-worn device, for example to a measuring device, such as a heart rate monitor, used for measuring non-invasively a signal from a human body or to a similar electronic device used during physical exercise in particular. These devices include diverse sportsman""s watches and diving computers, which may also comprise an altimeter, a depth gauge or an electronic compass.
A device carried on the wrist usually comprises one or more displays on the same plane. The outside of the casing of the device comprises a bottom surface to be placed against the wrist and a top surface on the casing side facing away from the bottom surface. Inside the casing are the control electronics of the device. The display or displays are arranged to the top surface of the casing and connected to the control electronics.
The display of a device attached to the wrist is usually read by turning the arm in the longitudinal direction thereof, in addition to which the arm must usually be bent. A problem encountered here is that in some special circumstances the display on the top surface of the casing is difficult to read. During swimming, for example, the required movement of the arm disturbs the correct pace of the arm strokes.
Japanese patent publication 07294674 (Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.) teaches a wrist watch comprising two displays, an analog and a digital one. The displays are on the same plane, similarly as in ordinary watches, only the analog display has been turned 90 degrees to the right from the ordinary position. The arrangement of the displays described in the publication allows a person to check the time without bending the arm, for example when driving a car. However, the described solution does not allow the display to be read during physical exercise without turning the arm.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved electronic wrist-worn device and an improved method for controlling an electronic wrist-worn device. One aspect of the invention is an electronic wrist-worn device. Another aspect of the invention is a method for controlling an electronic wrist-worn device.
An underlying idea of the invention is that the device is provided with two displays. A first display is positioned on the top surface of the casing of the device. A second display is positioned on the side surface of the casing, between the top and bottom surfaces of the device. The best viewing angle of the second display is directed such that the display can also be read during physical exercise without arm movements disturbing the exercise too much. Correct positioning of the second display and the optimal viewing angle thereby produced allows to eliminate at least either the need to bend the arm at the elbow or the need to turn the arm when the second display of the device is to be read.
The second display is preferably implemented either as a liquid crystal display or as a LED display. An advantage of the liquid crystal display is that a greater amount of more detailed information can be displayed, when necessary. On the other hand, an advantage of the LED display is that in some circumstances the information displayed may be easier to see than information on a liquid crystal display.